What It Means To Be Well Educated Essay

Knowledgeable, educated, and wise have become descriptive characteristics that have become seemingly interchangeable in today’s society. However, what does it mean to be educated, wise or knowledgeable? In the article “The Educated Student: Global Citizen or Global Consumer” by Benjamin Barber, he says “…young people were exposed more and more to tutors other than teachers in their classrooms or even those who were in their churches, their synagogues-and today their mosques as well.” (417). It is suggested that the places where these characteristics are obtained have changed with industrialization and capitalism. “The Student and the University (from the Closing of the American Mind)” by Allen Bloom directly postulates from the vantage

On the contrary, people without a college education are unlikely to earn the life’s coaching skills and necessary knowledge to live a successful life. Mary E. William in her book Education: Opposing View Points argues, “What is a society like without civility, honesty, considerateness, and self-discipline? Without a population educated to civility, educated to be

“What’s the key to success in the United States?”(Steinberg,2010), author Jacques Steinberg starts off his article “Plan B: Skip College” with a powerful question that has been asked by many Americans. Majority of Americans first thoughts would be higher education. The ideology that obtaining a degree is the best and sometimes only way to be successful in the American economy. This has been instilled in numerous children growing up. Steinberg states “perhaps no more than half of who began a four-year bachelor's degree program in the fall of 2006 will get that degree within six years according to the department of education”(Steinberg,2010). Students who tend to not excel in high school often take longer, or at times finish a higher education at all. These

Despite what the current belief about higher education might convey, not everyone has to attend college. Larry Cuban attests to the rendering mantra of everyone needs to go to college in his blog post, “Why Everyone Shouldn't Go To College”, reposted by The Washington Post. Surely Cuban does not agree with common and popular belief that everyone needs to attend college in order to be successful in life. Cuban leaves the reader with the uncertain questions of, what could they do instead going to college, will they make a stable living, does higher education mean they’ll not be as successful as a person who doesn’t? Cuban does not address the different options that a person can attend other than college or the benefits of actually attending college.

Education has various connections with almost every aspect of everyone’s life. Thus, the higher the level of education people are able to reach, the more benefits it has on the individual’s life and the society in general. Therefore, David Leonhardt argues in his article “Is College Worth It? Clearly, New Data Say” that the decision not to attend college is “among the most economically irrational decisions anyone could make,” in spite of the cost of attending college which will be paid off in the long run. Consequently, high education is considered as a major factor in solving economic problems and improving the economy, among other solutions.

In the United States, there has been, and always will be a debate on education.While some feel it is very important and crucial to success, others feel it is unessential to our happiness and well being. Many assume that education and success are directly associated with intellectualism. In this essay, I will review the current trend in research on intellectualism, which many feel is to enforce pursuing a higher education, due to a common belief among the American people that those who do not receive a higher education are seemingly less intelligent. Research on this topic increasingly suggests that those who receive a higher education, tend to make more money, rating them as more successful in the eyes of

Academic work should not define intelligence nor should a job define ability; a person, regardless of grades, degrees, or job title, is an intellect. Together, Gerald Graff, a coauthor of They Say I say, professor, and former anti-intellect, author of "Hidden Intellectualism," and Mike Rose, professor, author, and in depth thinker, author of "Blue-Collar Brilliance," share two different perspectives on what an intellect truly is. Yet, both writings hold meaningful points and experiences to prove who qualifies to be an intellect. Society continuously focuses on what leads to a successful and rounded life: go to school, graduate, go back to school, get a degree, and then a job. It is believed that these high expectations of higher academics enables one to be more successful is correct; however, it is not. It is a person’s individual goals that give them the success they wish to have whether that be education, volunteering, or donating. Also, street smarts is not to be overlooked; a person with common sense can know more than a Doctor. Typically, a person can have either common sense or intelligence, not both. Street smarts is, without a doubt, a superior quality to possess as it encompasses more in life than just a degree does. For example, it is more appropriate to know how to cross a street properly in life than know how to perform a craniotomy. Furthermore, one does not gain knowledge and life lessons through school alone, but through experience,

Many people in today’s society tend to believe that a good education is the fastest way to move up the ladder in their chosen. People believe that those who seek further education at a college or university are more intelligent. Indeed, a college education is a basic requirement for many white collar, and some blue collar, jobs. In an effort to persuade his audience that intelligence cannot be measured by the amount of education a person has Mike Rose wrote an article entitled “Blue Collar Brilliance”. The article that appeared in the American Scholar, a quarterly literary magazine of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, established in 1932. The American Scholar audience includes, Company’s , Employees,

Not all have to go to college to be successful, and not all hardworking jobs require a college degree. College is not necessarily a measure of intelligence. Especially in todays economy, a lot of people can not afford to pursue higher education. That does not mean they would not make really fantastic doctors or lawyers if they could afford to go to college. Not everyone has the means to receive degrees and titles, some do not even have the desire to. “We reinforce this notion by defining intelligence solely on grades in school and numbers on IQ tests” Rose explained. (Rose, 279) I believe that higher education is definitely a worthwhile endeavor. I also believe while it may be the best route for some, it is not for everyone. For example, my mother and father both did not attend college. They both make good incomes, and love their everyday jobs. My mother always wanted to be a hair stylist, so obviously college was not the best option for her. My father was always good at persuading people to do things, so he got into the sales business. My mother and father are a prime example of being successful in their field, without pursuing higher education. Attending college is not the only way that a person can live a happy and full

“In the United States today, there is no more certain investment than a college education”(Carnevale and Melton). Education has always been a major component of American society. One can only go so far without an education, and the more education and knowledge someone has, the better their chances of being successful. Some people believe a high school education is enough, and it is, enough to land a job at a fast food restaurant. I speculate they feel this way because they feel school is not for them, or maybe they just do not want to go far in life. To get far in life people must go above and beyond, and learn things that others do not know to make them

What does it mean to be well educated? To be well educated it is a balance between academics and practical knowledge. Throughout this paper I will show that one does not necessarily need a college degree to be deemed as well educated. I will explore both aspects of academics and practical knowledge and how it affects individuals.

ideas and feelings and can use them to draw over all conclusions to answer the

Everyone has an opinion concerning what type of education is most useful. We all know that a college education is important in the competitive world we live in today. For instance, if you want a career in engineering, medicine, chemistry or law, a bachelor's degree or higher is mandatory. We often see people who have made it really big, and yet have little or no formal education. My opinion is, in order to get and keep a good paying job, you need both “street smarts” and “book smarts.” The combination of practical knowledge and explicit knowledge is the key to a successful career. Both types of knowledge have distinct advantages.

To opinionate or to be opinionated as defined by Webster means to have an unduly adhering to one's own opinion or to preconceived notions. In “laymen’s terms“ basically it is to strongly stick to one’s own point of view. If education is so vast than how can someone be “well” at it? ~Kohn reveals that his wife who is a physician is hesitant at times reciting multiplication. This does not mean she is uneducated when indeed she may be responsible for saving someone’s life. Yet because she cannot teach a math class or write the President’s inauguration speech it portrays as if she is not “erudite” Contrarily speaking does the fact that she is a Physician depicts as her being smarter than someone who works performs “blue collar” work? Does

The prevalent theme in this passage is that book smarts isn’t going to be enough to propel someone into the limelight of academic award ceremonies. You have to learn to acquire the social and communication skills necessary to land the opportunities you need to set the pathway for success. These skills aren’t innate like analytical intelligence and have to be imprinted by parents onto their children. There are several programs in place to allow infants to develop analytical skills such as reading or primitive arithmetic but not many to encourage children to develop of sense of belonging and entitlement. Wealthier parents do just fine on imprinting practical intelligence onto their children, but poor parents do not have this set of ideals to